Railway-signal



(No Model.) y

J. H. ARMSTRONG.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No. 364,204. Patented June 7,l 1887.

@www/bo@ Egg i? wom/1mi* @vita/momo A 5f. 4

N. PETERS. Pmwupwgnpmr, wnmngum n c.

" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES HENRY ARMSTRONG, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letter-.5 Patent No. 364,204, dated June 7, 1887.

Application filed October 15, 1586. Serial No. 216,323. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs HENRY ARM- sTEoNG, a citizen of the United States, residing atpHouston, in the county of Harris and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Sending Electric Currents between, to, and from Moving Railroad Trains; and l do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of thein vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and iigures of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide efficient instrumentalities for tclegraphy between two or more moving trains, or between each of said trains and one or more stations,

and which are also adapted for conveying electricity for any desired purpose.

My invention consists in certain improved devices and combinations, which will be hereinafter described and particularly pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of a railroad track, engine, train, and instruments at two stations. Fig. -2 is a transverse section of a rail and electrical couductors, and also represents a device for making contact between a train and said conductors. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the conductors and supporting-base, and Fig. 4 is a like view of another i'orm of conductor and base.

The letter a indicates the track, y -t y the conductors, b b locomotives, c a car, d d stations, and c a device for supporting wires and contact-points between a moving train and the conductors. l

As 'represented in Fig. l, the electric eircuit is complete without au earth-connection, and is normally closed. A transmitter is indicated as pivoted at 2. By depressing it upon the conductor at 5 contact is made at 4 and broken at 3 and the battery 6 is thrown into the circuit, operating all the receivers in line.

At 1 is indicated a receviuginstrument. This, together with the battery and transmitter, is represented by conventional iigures, and may bc of any approved form. One of each is indicated at each station on a locomotive and on a car. They should all be suitablyin sulatcd.

The conductors are laid upon the track beside a rail and upon a non-conducting base of anyknown construction. I have, however, devised one, as indicated in Fig. 2, of the following construction: `Upon a foundation of wood, glass, or other non-conducting material laid across the tie is placed a layer of asbestus paper, and upon this a rubber plate, which latter is grooved on its upper side to receive thin conductors of copper 4or other` suitable material, the lower edges of which are placed in said grooves and secured by transverse screws, pins, or other removable fastenings. The base and superposed parts are perforated or slotted vertically to allow readyescape of moisture, which might otherwise accumulate between the conductors and interfere with the insulation of adjacent parts of the circuit. The base and insulating material might be slotted or separated throughout their entire.

extent.

The contactmaker, represented as a hand in the present instance, has a spring-connec tion, f, witha bar or lever extending down through the wall of the car. This hand or some equivalent device covers conductingwires, and bears at its linger-tips or at its extreme lower end, but in such manner as to be protected from falling moisture, contactlpieces or circui-t-closers made of platinum or other similar material, which are drawn along by the moving train in constant connection with the before-described conductors laid beside a rail. preferably grooved or forked to embrace the conductors, may also be connected with the carrier by springs. The object of these springs is to obviate the danger of displacement by the lateral or 'other incidental movements oi" the car or locomotive. Y

Brushes may be substituted for the grooved contact-pieces. Vhen contact-points used are liable to damage by friction, they are protected by a tube containing a sponge filled with water, which continually meistens4 points,-

thereby preventing heat that otherwisewould generate.

maker of circular form, secured by a spring connection or otherwise to a cai-track wheel, and made to (2o-operate with parallel conduct- These contact-pieces, which are each And I may also employ a contact- A IOO ors, which form a part of the complete metallic circuit, thus substituting rolling for sliding friction, or a tin-foil or amalgam for contact-points. vThe said conductors may be located either on the inside or outside of a rail, and preferably as near as practicable without injuriously affecting insulation. If necessary, a special insulating strip or plate may be interposed between the conductor and rail. This contact-maker of circular form may be provided with two peripheral brushes, separated by insulating material and arranged to make constant contact each with a separate conductor. These several modifications above referred to are known in the art and need not be illustrated The non-conducting base which supports asbestus paper, rubber, and conductors is shown in Figs. 2 and 3, in which 8 indicates the base, 9 the asbestus paper, 10 the rubber plate, 11 the screws or pins, 12 the conductors, and 13 the slot or passage to allow rain-water to escape to the ground. The base is preferably secured to the tie by means which allow its ready removal, such as screws or spikes with elongated heads to overlap the edge of the base when driven into a tie.

In Fig. 3 is represented a form which dispenses with grooves for receiving the conducting-strips. On each side of these conductors 'is placed a rubber strip, which is secured by the saine screw, pin, or bolt that fastens the conductor. y

At Fig. 4 a means of insulating the conductors is indicated, which can be used between the railroadtrack and the station. Conducting-wires are placed between two layers of asbestus or other paper or similar material, 14.-, made to adhere by a non-conducting cement of bitumen or tar, and preferably painted with nonconducting fire-proof paint. These Wires connect the copper strips with the instruments at the stations. Being covered and insulated, as set forth, they may be secured to a base of Wood or other insulating material, as indicated at 15, and protected by a covering, 16, of like material. rIlhis form of support and cover for conducting-wires is adapted for use in other situations, and has many advantages, as it can be rapidly and cheaply laid and avoids the use ofinconvenient and unsightly poles. It isconstructed to allow the passage of wheeled vehicles.

At x in Fig. 1 is indicated by broken lines an earth-connection, which can be used in case one of the conducting-wires is broken. In this case the instruments on the cars or locomotives should also be connected with the earth, and this may be done by a wire running to the axle of a car-wheel, as indicated at x', or in any known manner.

At a in Fig. 1 is indicated in like manner that the instruments may be placed upon the locomotive, and the current-collectors or devices for making contact with the main conductors located on and supported from a car;

or instruments may be placed on the locomotive and on one or more cars and connected in multiple are.

The operation of the above-described circuit is easily understood. Thus, if it be desired to send a telegram from any station or carin the circuit, the operator uses the transmitter in the usual way, and the sounder or receivinginstrument at each of the other stations responds. This he does by depressing the transmitter at 5, thus throwing the adjacent battery into circuit and sending a current. Individual calls and receiving-instruments may be provided at each station and on each car, in the usual manner.

By the means described messages can be sent to any car or train and from the car or train to any other or to any station and beyond. Thus those responsible for the conduct of trains can keep themselves and others informed of the situation of any particular train, and they are provided with ameans of communicating with each train and from one moving train to `another. Trains standing upon side tracks can be kept in thecircuit, the conductors being laid along said tracks for that purpose. Freighttrains on double or single track roads can bc placed in constant communication with each other, whether detached from their engines or not. rear part of the train may be in communication with each other, thereby preventing accidents which often occur when trains break in two, by reason of a detached part running into another part of the broken train.

Any train being able to communicate directly with each and all tra-ins on the line, one approaching need not collide, through want 'of information, with another on a single track,

which accident frequently occurs from inadvertence on the part of the train-dispatcher, upon whom rests the whole responsibility of the movement of trains under the present system, and who alone has the means of discovering and rectifying an error.

It had been proposed prior to my invention to connect moving trains with conductors in such manner that messages could be sent bctween the. trains and from stations to the same, and my claim is limited to the matters hereinafter particularly pointed out. One important feature of my construction is that by which a message can be sent simultaneously to diiierent parts of the same train, whereby greater certainty and promptness in warning the train of danger are afforded.

Insulated electrical conductors have heretofore been incased in a wooden support nearly square in cross-section and intended to be affixed to a wall. I do not claim, broadly, de-

vices of this character. My wooden base is flat and of comparatively small thickness and without joints and recesses, except in the bottom. It securely covers the conductor above and lies firmly upon level ground.

I am also aware that conducting-wires have In case trains are broken the engine and TOO been inelosed4 in Variousnon-conducting materials, but not that paper has been employed in the manner specified by me in `connection with a wooden base.

Having thus described my iuventiomwhat I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is l l. A continuous electric conductor extendingrbeside a railroad, a contact-maker borne by a train, an electric galvanic battery, a stationary transmitter,and a train provided with transmitting and receiving instruments on two or more members of the train and connected with the electric circuit in multiple arc, all combined substantially as set forth, whereby a message can bc sent to each member simultaneously.

2. A continuous metallic circuit for transniittin g telegrams Without an earth-connection, a moving contactmaker carrying two parts insulated from each other and making contact with the two members of the circuit, a car conveying transmitting and receiving instruments, receiving and transmitting instruments at a station, and means for making earth-connections, all combined substantially as set forth, whereby messages can ordinarily be sent through the metallic circuit, or when one niemberof the circuit is broken can be sent by means of an earth-connection.

3. A wooden base of substantially greater width than thickness, having rounded upper edges and a recess in the bottom, in combination with an electric wire supported therein and with a support adapted to lie inthe recess and between the wire and the earth, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of a wooden base having a laterally-continuous top and sides and a recess in its bottom, with conducting-wires cemented between layers of paper with nonconducting material and supportedin such rccess, substantially as specified. l

5. The fiat wooden base havinga continuous top and sides and of greater width than thickness, provided with a recess in its bottom and with rounded upper. corners, in combination with insulated electric conductors supported in such recess,substantially as set forth,whereby conductors can be laid across roadways without seriously obstructing the same. y

6. The combination of an electric conductor laid upon railroad-ties, with a wooden base supporting a continuation of said conductor and extending from the track to a station, all as set forth, whereby a station and a railroadtrain may be electrically connected without the use of poles.

7. The non-conducting base, paper layer, and rubber strip, perforated or slotted, and copper strips placed vertically in the rubber and removably secured therein, all combined substantially as set forth.

8. The perforated non-conducting base, paper layer, and rubber plate, combined with thecopper strips and vertically-placed rubber strips, as set forth. x

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES HENRY ARMSTRONG.

Witnesses:

P. L. QUEYROUGH, W. IRWIN. 

